Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Rainbow Trout

Rex:

I agree with what you said, BUT if the trout are less tolerant of DO levels, if the pond is at carrying capacity, and the DO levels were to drop during the winter, adding another 50 to 100 pounds of fish might tip the balance leading to a fish kill, even if it is just the trout. That's my only concern.

If ponds are at maximum capacity (or close to it), adding ANY fish would increase the possibility of a fish kill due to low O2 levels, summer or winter if the conditions are right.

I know the possibility is slim, but I just wanted to throw that out there.

You are 100% correct in that both species are a niche fish, and utilize resources that most of the fish population in the pond doesn't use, but every fish needs O2.

That's why I am watching the amount of fish in my pond. I have 2 strikes against me:
1) Groundwater pond. I assume (there's that nasty word) that the groundwater that is flowing into the pond is low on O2.
2) The pond fluctuates in size from 1 3/4 ac to 1 ac depending on rainfall and soil moisture.

If I manage my pond as if it were a 1 3/4 ac pond, it would become severly overcrowded when the water drew down due to lack of rainfall in the late Summer into Fall, and even thru the Winter due to all the liquid moisture being locked up as snow and ice.

That's thge reason for my question a while back on carrying capacity. I prefer to try and run at less than 100% carrying capacity to leave room for seasonal stocking of niche fish.